The Psychological Consequences of Abuse for the Child

Abstract

The consequences of child abuse for the emotional health and development of the child have been largely disregarded in theory, in practice, and in research. The few studies which have investigated this aspect of the child abuse problem report detrimental psychological consequences. These research findings combined with more general psychological theory and research on personality development provide a basis for predicting the psychological consequences of abuse for children. Documentation of deficits in the emotional development of abused children has important policy and practice implications for intervention and treatment.